T.-M. Lu: Research Interests

Advanced Thin Film Materials and Processing for Interconnect and Integrated Chips Technologies

Thin Film Metallization and Texture

• contact metallization of semiconductors
• effects of film texture on the electrical properties of thin Ag, Al, Cu films
• growth/etch front roughness of thin films by evaporation, sputtering, and chemical vapor deposition

Synthesis and Deposition of Low Dielectric Constant Vapor Depositable Polymers

• synthesis of new vapor-depositable low dielectric material for interconnect and packaged electronics applications
• deposition and characterization of low dielectric thin films
  • parylene family
  • polynaphthalene family
• integration of polymer thin films in multilevel interconnection

High Dielectric Constant Materials: Low Temperature Deposition of Capacitors and Resistors

• room temperature deposition of BaTiO3, TaOx, and SiOx
• room temperature deposition of resistor materials: TaN, MoSi2 and thin oxides
• fabrication and testing of high dielectric films on polymer based substrates

Photonic Materials for Integrated Waveguides

• vapor deposition of high electro-optic coefficient organic thin films
• low temperature processing of integrated passive waveguides using high/low index organic/inorganic thin films

Lab Techniques Utilized

Deposition Techniques

• RPIB (Reactive Partially Ionized Beam)
• Reactive DC Magnetron Sputtering
• Vacuum Evaporation
• CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition)

Analysis Techniques

• XPS (X-ray Photoelectric Spectroscopy)
• SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy)
• FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy)
• XRD (X-ray Diffraction)
• UV (Ultraviolet) Absorption Spectroscopy
• C-V (Capacitance-Voltage) Analysis
• I-V (Current-Voltage) Analysis
• SIMS (Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy)
• AFM (Atomic Force Microscopy)
• DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimetry)
• NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) Spectroscopy
• RBS (Rutherford Backscattering Spectometry)
• TEM (Tunneling Electron Microscopy)
• Ellipsometry
• Electron Microprobe
• High Frequency Testing

Group Members

• T.-M. Lu
• Ke Chen
• John Karcz
• Chi-I Lang
• Kevin Mello
• Matt Nielsen
• Markus Silvestri
• Steve Soss
• G.-R. Yang
• Yiping Zhao
• Beth Lowe (summer '95)

Credits